Anxiety decisions — 2024

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including anxiety and PTSD, was granted in a separate Rating Decision. As the full benefits sought have been granted, the appeal is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the Veteran's psychiatric condition and its relationship to service. The VA must provide an adequate medical opinion addressing the etiology of the Veteran's psychiatric disorder, including whether it is related to his military service or aggravated by his service-connected pseudofolliculitis barbae.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder. The evidence supports a finding that his current psychiatric disorders began during active service or are related to in-service events and conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and an acquired psychiatric disorder, including generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors. The Veteran's symptoms are being recharacterized as related to his active service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including ischemic heart disease and peripheral arterial diseases of multiple limbs, have prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment prior to September 23, 2020.

The Board dismissed the appeals for Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Agoraphobia/Panic Disorder, and Depressive Disorder. The Veteran's Tension Headaches were granted a 70% rating from January 25, 2017 to September 9, 2021. Service connection was established for PTSD with a 70% rating during this period.

The Board has granted service connection for insomnia disorder, anxiety disorder, and hypothyroidism. The decision is based on the direct relationship to service without any presumption or secondary theory.

The Veteran's service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, is granted as it is proximately due to his service-connected orthopedic disabilities.,Service connection for PTSD was denied as there is no persuasive evidence of a current diagnosis or in-service stressor.

The Board has dismissed the claims for hypertension and atrial fibrillation as the Veteran withdrew his appeal. The remaining issues of service connection for a psychiatric disability, including PTSD and depression; back disability; numbness in hand; and loss of feeling in foot are remanded.

The Board found that the Veteran's mental illness developed within two years of his discharge from service, and thus restored service connection for a mental illness for the purpose of eligibility for medical treatment under 38 U.S.C. § 1702.

The Veteran's claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, upper back disability, and head injury residuals are being remanded due to the need for additional development including VA examinations.

The Board has remanded multiple claims due to the need for additional medical examinations and records, including those related to service connection and disability ratings.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development to verify the Veteran's claimed stressors and obtain a VA examination to clarify the nature and etiology of his psychiatric disabilities, including whether they are related to service or service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for diabetes mellitus is dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeal.,The claims for PTSD, sleep apnea, and restless leg syndrome of the bilateral lower extremities are reopened. The Board will remand these issues to obtain additional medical opinions regarding service connection.,The claim for erectile dysfunction is also remanded due to its inextricability with the psychiatric disorder issue.,The Veteran's appeal for diabetes mellitus is dismissed, and his claims for PTSD, sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome of the bilateral lower extremities, and erectile dysfunction are reopened. The Board will remand these issues to obtain additional medical opinions regarding service connection.

The Veteran's GAD claim is remanded as the examiner did not consider all symptoms, including those related to flare-ups and cognitive impairment.,The respiratory condition claim is remanded due to inadequate medical opinions that did not consider the Veteran's service records or his theory of secondary service connection based on CML.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder is rated at 70 percent from June 11, 2018, to October 2, 2018, and from December 1, 2018. A temporary total disability rating of 100 percent was granted for the period from October 3, 2018, to November 30, 2018.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and other mental health conditions, as there was no evidence of a confirmed in-service stressor or any chronic disease related to military service.

The Board has decided that the Veteran does not have a current disability for service connection of bilateral hearing loss. The remaining issues on appeal are remanded due to insufficient evidence and need further development.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of service connection for a psychiatric disorder, left shoulder disability, lumbar spine disability, and left ankle disability due to incomplete records. The AOJ is instructed to attempt to obtain all relevant service treatment and personnel records from the Veteran's active duty service and Army National Guard/Army Reserve.